GALILEO 



heavenly bodies. These he embodied in a work in 

 the form of dialogues between the two distinguished 

 Floretinians before named Salviati and Sagredo 

 advocates of his new doctrines, and a fictitious third 

 person named Simplicius, who adhered to the peri- 

 patician philosophy. The former, who were cul- 

 tivated and without prejudice, examine, discuss, doubt 

 and draw forth the evidences that convince them. 

 Simplicius, a true Aristotelian, listens to nothing and 

 will understand nothing that is opposed to Scholasti- 

 cism, and judges only that to be true or false as it 

 accords with or disagrees with his old teaching. 

 The composition and style of the dialogues were per- 

 fectly adapted to the interlocutors, and preserve 

 throughout a charm and elegance, with the most happy 

 choice of expression. Galileo endeavored to obtain 

 permission to publish it, and presented it boldly in 

 person to the Master of the Sacred College at Rome 

 as a collection of scientific fancies and novelties, with 

 the request to examine it scrupulously, to cut out 

 everything that seemed to be suspicious in fine, to 

 censure with the utmost severity anything therein 

 that required censure. The prelate, suspecting noth- 

 ing, read and re-read the work, gave it to one of his 

 old colleagues to judge of it, and, seeing nothing to be 

 reprehended, gave to it under his own hand his full 

 approbation. To make use of this, however, it would 



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